Fountain brush



March 7, 1939. F. .1. J. STOCK 2,149,711

FOUNTAIN BRUSH 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 24 1936 W. W 7 L m 2 a v [Mg1 n 4% 1534 vvv i fi March 7, 1939. I F. J. 4. STOCK FOUNTAIN BRUSHFiled July 24, 1936 2 Sheets$heer. 2

' terminates inside the reservoir.

Patented Mar. 7, 1939 UNITED STATES- PAT E N T. OFFICE Application July24, 1936, Serial No. 92,334 In Germany March 23, 1935,

5 Claims.

This invention relates to a hand-operated brushing device for liquidsmore particularly of low boiling point consisting of a brush holdercombined with a liquid container, such devices being known per se. It isthe object of the invention to provide a predetermined accuratelydefined or adjustable feed of liquid to the brush.

A further object is the provision'of a novel construction of a fountainbrush or pasting device comprising a liquid container and a brushconnected therewith by which a predetermined measured amount of liquidis discharged on to the brush each time the device is moved from anormal', preferably horizontal or resting position to an inclinedworking position.

A preferred form of a fountain brush according to the inventioncomprises a reservoir, a brush at one end thereof and a channel, one endof which terminates at the circumference of the brush near the basethereof and the other end of which The channel is so arranged that itlies above the liquid level in the reservoir and forms a vent hole inthe horizontal or position of rest of the reservoir, but forms a ductfor feeding the liquid to the brush in the inclined or working positionof the reservoir. The cross-section of the channel which may be fixed oradjustable is chosen in such a manner that only a predetermined quantityof liquid is fed through the channel to the brush each time thereservoir is inclined from the horizontal position of rest to theoblique working position.

Devices for spreading or pasting liquids in the form of a brushconnected with a container are already known. In the hitherto knowndevices,

however, the feeding channel for the liquid does not act as a vent holelocated above, the liquid level in the position of rest of thereservoir. Therefore, in the known devices the liquid is fed to thebrush in a continuous flow as distinguished from a device according tothe invention wherein small limited and measured portions of liquid aredischarged each time the device is moved from its position of rest toits. working position.

The invention will be better understood by reference to the followingdetailed description in connection With the accompanying drawingsshowing by way of example some preferred embodiments of the inventionand wherein:

Figure l is a partial longitudinal section through a liquid containerand brush holder according to the invention,

Figure 2 is a cross section taken on line II-II of Figure 1,

,"Figure 3 is a partial longitudinal section through the liquidcontainer and a brush holder of. a modified construction, Figure 4 is across-section taken on line I V-IV of Figure 3, Figure 5'. is a partialview of Figure 4, showing a modification thereof,

Figure 6 illustrates another modification of Figure l,

Figure 7 is a partial longitudinal section through a liquid containerwith the brush head includinga regulating device for adjusting the feedof liquid;

' Figure 8 is a side view of the brush-container combination,

Figure 9 is a side view of the spreading device combined with a pastinggauge for films,

Figure 10' is a plan view of the device shown in Figure 9, Figure '11 isa cross section taken on line XI-XI Fi fe'lo, .M. Fi'gurelZ is a partiallongitudinal cross section of a'inodified form of the spreading deviceshown in Figure '7.

Referring to the drawings, Figures 1 and 2, the brush hairs l aresecured in a sleeve 2 by a packing piece 3 or in any other suitable way;the p'art 3 may simultaneously form the support for a thin tube 4. Thistube is arranged to extend from the neck 5 of the liquid container (seeFigure 9) to the circumference of the brush extending beyond the sleeve2. The interior space of the sleeve 2 may be additionally closed'on theside of the'neck of the container by a plug or the like 6. The sleeve 2holding the br'ush'l' is secured to the neck 5 by a screw cap I as shownin Fig. I, this screw cap beinga'dapted to be screwed on to the neckwhich is provided for this purpose with a thread 8. The

sleeve? is held on the mouth side by pressing and turning itsedge'inwardly as shown. According to Figures 1 and 2 the sleeve 2 isprovided'with a flange or collar 9 which is tightly pressed against theneck 5 of the container by the cap 1. In orderto secure a liquid-tightseal, a resilient pack ing disk in 'with'a center hole It isinsertedbetween the flange 8 and the neck 5. The tube or tubes 4 maybe supportedalso between the root of the brush or the plug 3land the interior wallof the sleeve "2. However; care'should always be taken that thermouthofth ube is n ver d by any hair oi'the'brush'.

In the construction according to Figures 3 and 4 the hairsof the brush Iare held by a sleeve outer closing cap 1 may be of any shape similar asin the construction shown in Figures 1 and 2, or it may be omittedentirely. In the construction shown in Figure 3 the outer sleeve l2 hasa collar or flange l3 which is clamped against the head 5 of thecontainer by means of the closing cap I. The inner sleeve 2 has a smallgroove I4 forming the liquid and air vent channel. The groove l4 mayalso be provided in the outer sleeve E2 or in both the outer and theinner sleeves as shown in Figure 5 in which case the channel or ductformed will have a more or less circular'cross section. In theconstruction according to Figure 6 the liquid duct is formed byinserting a wire l5 between the inner sleeve 2 and the outer sleeve H2in such a way as to form two channels or pockets l6 and H.

The construction of the fountain brush according to Figure 7 correspondsin principle to thatshown in Figure 3, with the exception that thepassage I4 is of annular form and has an adjustable cross section. Tothis end a spring 18 or any other resilient member, such as a suitablerubber element, is inserted between the flange or collar l3 of the outersleeve [2 and the flange or collar 9 of the inner sleeve 2. The latterhas preferably a greater tapering angle than the sleeve H2, in such amanner that according to the degree of screwing the container head 5into the cap I the outer wall of the sleeve 2 is approached to orwithdrawn from the inner wall of the sleeve I2 or the flanged edgethereof. In this manner it is possible to adjust the passage and outletof 7 liquid from the brush i within two limit values, thereby enablingthe user of the device to compensate for fluctuations of temperature andirregularities of feed of the liquid and in a most simple manner. Theingress of the liquid from the container 20 into the annular passagechannel l4 may be eifected in any desired manner. In Figure 'I it isassumed that the liquid passes through the opening H of the intermediatedisk washer it) into the lower space of the inner sleeve 2 and fromthere through lateral holes 2| into the annular space M. According toFigure 12 the resilient member [8 consists of rubber or the like and anintermediate piece 28 which may be of metal and is formed with anexterior and interior thread is provided between the outer cap 1 and thecontainer neck 5. The accurate adjustment of the supply of the liquid isthus facilitated since a fine thread could not be conveniently providedon the container neck itself which usually consists of glass. Theintermediate piece 28 may be so formed that it extends beyond the collar9 of the inner sleeve 2 so that the inner sleeve 2 with the brush 5 andthe intermediate piece 28 may be first screwed together as a uniton tothe container neck 5, whereupon the cap I with the outer sleeve i2 isscrewed on to theintermediate piece 28. The egress of liquid can beadjusted by more or less tightening the cap I.

The head 5 of the container 20 carrying the brush is directed obliquelyin an upward direction, as is seen from Figure 8 so that the brush isdirected upwardly and the liquid accordingly does not reach the mouth ofthe channel l or M if the container is in the non-used position. It isadvisable to provide a specialcap 22 which can be slipped over the cap 7and is held by friction if the, container is not used, as shown inFigure 8. The shape of the container 20 is advantageously sochosen thatit can be easily held by the hand and cannot tilt over when putting itback to the working place or table.

The eifect of the accurately defined feed of liquid to the brushaccording to the invention is obtained because at the moment the brushis used, the pressure in the interior of the container is equal to thatof the exterior air. After two or three drops of liquid have beendischarged by inclining the device in the manner described hereinabove apartial vacuum is produced in the container, so that a further flow ofliquid is automatically stopped. When the container is again placed inits horizontal or non-working position, the channel provided in thebrush holder restores the connection with the atmosphere therebyequalizing the pressure in the container. This process can be repeatedas often as desired. In order to prevent. the outlet of the channel frombeing closed, such as by the liquid in the brush, it is necessary toarrange the same at the circumference of the brush.

A further advantage of the inventive construction is the fact that theoutlet of the liquid is not a sudden but a gradual one, so that blottingcannot occur. The liquid enters the empty brush first slowly and eitherstays in it (if the channel cross section is designed or adjusted forthe outlet of one drop only) or is caused to discharge slowly by thefollowing liquid (if the channel cross section is designed or adjustedfor feeding several drops). If only a few drops are fed from thecontainer the quantity of liquid remains in the brush until the brushtouches the object to be painted or wetted.

In spite of the liquid feeding channel being dimensioned for thedischarge of small definite liquid quantities, the device according tothe invention ofiers the possibility of drawing greater quantities ofliquid from the brush in one operation. To this end the container isheated, for example and preferably by embracing it with the hand so thatthe heat of the hand which is considerably higher than the roomtemperature, produces an excess pressure in the interior space of thecontainer, thereby causing an uninterrupted ilow of liquid as long asthe heating is continued. If larger quantities are to be drawn for alonger period, it is advisable to provide a regulating device adapted tobe set for the desired feed oi liquid to the brush.

When the container is returned to its normal or non-use position, theliquid remaining in the brush will flow back as the under pressurecaused by the cooling in the interior of the container automaticallysucks the liquid back into the container until the connection with theexterior air is restored and the pressure equalized.

There is furthermore shown in Figures 9-11 an embodiment of theinvention for spreading liquids with a film pasting and splicing device.For this purpose, the upper wall 23 of the container has a dovetailedcross-section to form a pair of guiding edges 24 as shown in Figure 1.The guiding edges 2 approach each other towards the rear end of thecontainer. The film splicing plate 25 has a corresponding form, its bentedges 26 embracing the dovetail edges 26 of the upper wall 23 of thecontainer. Due to the tapered shape of the dovetail edges 2 and to thebent edges 26 the plate 25 may be slipped on the container 20 so as tobe held tightly in position. The plate 25 bears distance pins 21 forplacing and holding the films to be pasted according to gauge. Thedistancebetween the pins depends on the size of film used. Thegaugeplate 25 being easy to exchange, the spreading device can be used as apasting gauge for most different film sizes within the shortest time.

I claim:-

1. In a fountain brush for liquids of low boiling point, a liquidcontainer, a brush and a brush holder, including two telescopicallyarranged conical sleeves, the outer of said sleeves having a largertapering angle than the inner sleeve to provide an annular channelformed between said sleeves connecting the interior space of said liquidcontainer with the circumference of said brush, resilient means forspacing said outer from said inner sleeve and an apertured screw capadapted to be screwed on to said brush holder for approaching said outersleeve towards said inner sleeve against the action of said resilientmeans.

2. In a device of the character described, a liquid container, a brush,a brush holder and liquid feeding member comprising a pair of coaxialconical sleeves spaced apart to form an annular channel connecting theinterior of said container with the circumference of said brush,resilient spacing means intervening between said sleeves, and means foradjusting the spacing between said sleeves against the action of saidresilient means.

3. In a device of the character described, a liquid container, abrush,-a brush holder and liquid feeding member secured to saidcontainer comprising a pair of coaxial conical sleeve members havingflanges at their bases, said members being spaced apart at apredetermined distance to provide an annular channel terminating at thecircumference of said brush, a resilient spacer between said flanges,means for adjusting the distance between said flanges against the actionof said spacer thereby to vary the width of said channel, and liquidoutlet means from the interior of the inner sleeve member to saidchannel to provide a liquid discharge path from the interior of saidcontainer to said brush.

4. In a device of the character described, a liquid container, a brush,a first conical sleeve member holding said brush, a second conicalsleeve member coaxial with and spaced from said first member to form anannnular channel terminating at the circumference of said brush, saidsleeve members being formed with flanges at their bases, a resilientspacer between said flanges, the flange of said first sleeve memberbeing placed over an opening of said container, a cap having an openingpassing said brush and enclosing said sleeve members, said cap beingsecured to said casing so as to press the flange of said second sleevemember against said spacer and the flange of said first sleeve member,and liquid outlet means from the interior of said second sleeve memberto said channel.

5. In a device of the character described, a liquid container, a brush,a first conical sleeve member holding said brush, a second conicalsleeve member coaxial with and spaced from said first member to form anannunlar channel terminating at the circumference of said brush, saidsleeve members having flanges at their bases, a resilient annular spacerbetween said flanges, the flange of said first sleeve member beingplaced over an opening of said casing, a cap having an opening passingsaid brush and enclosing said sleeve members, said cap being screwedonto said casing so as to press the flange of said second sleeve memberagainst said spacer and the flange of said first sleeve member, saidspacer acting as a sealing gasket between said flanges, and liquidoutlet means from the interior of said second sleeve member to saidchannel.

FRIEDRICH J. J. STOCK.

